Google Tips for Web Businesses

Web site owners should follow these handy tips for using Google's Analytics, AdSense, and AdWords tools.
Whether you're a first-time blogger or you've owned a Web site for many years, chances are you're not doing it just for fun. Mostly everyone wants to make money with their online venture, or at least gain lots of exposure. If this is the case, then you may want to opt for some Google tools to track your success.
If one of your objectives is to have a lot of eyeballs on your site, you may want to set up an account with Google Analytics, so that you can track your Web site's referrals and run traffic reports. Next, you'll likely want to choose which advertisements are relevant to your site's content by using Google AdSense. This way, you can earn money every time a visitor clicks on these ads. (Yes, real money!) Finally, Google AdWords will help you customize your ads and choose the right keywords to make your site search-friendly.
The idea of using these tools may seem a bit overwhelming at first. That's why we asked the Google experts to provide PC Magazine with a list of tips for using Analytics, AdSense, and Adwords. Study them, because they may just help your Web site grow and profit.
Google Analytics lets you track your Web site's referrals, ads, and e-mail promotions.
1. Get the basics out of the way. Defining basic terms will help Web site owners and
Webmasters with using the Web analytics tools.
• "Visits" is the number of sessions on a Web site, the number of times someone
interacted with a site.
• "Bounce Rate" is the percentage of single-page visits or number of visitors who
left instantly from the entrance page.
• "Page View" is the instance that a page is loaded by a browser.
• "Average Time on Site" is how long visitors stay on a site.
• "% New Visits" is how many sessions or interactions were from first-time
visitors.
2. Understand traffic sources. Once you get the basics, find out where people are
coming from.
• "Direct Traffic" is composed of visitors coming to a Web site by typing in the
URL of that Web site or from a bookmark. Some people also call this "default
traffic" or "ambient traffic."
• "Referring URLs" are other Web sites sending traffic to a Web site. These can be
from banner ads or campaigns, and they can include blogs or affiliates that link
to a site.
• "Search Engines" are—you know—Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask, and others. This subset
includes both organic and paid (PPC/SEM) traffic.
• "Other" means campaigns that have run: e-mail, direct marketing, and so on.
3. Determine what reports mean the most. Learn how to read data and make use of
reports.
• Look for trends and see where growth is coming from in the last three to six
months. Is it from free traffic? Paid traffic? Have efforts to get people
through other channels succeeded?
• Drill down to specific Web sites that send traffic and, of course, keywords and
key phrases that are sending traffic. Both of those help make sense of customer
intent.
• Improve pages that need attention. Pages with a high "Bounce Rate" are not
delivering on the promise that drives customers to a site.
• Make sure an ad campaign's keywords are not leading to high bounce rates and are
delivering on an intended action or conversion.
• Search for surprises in your data, such as unexpected or unusual patterns.
• Identify and label goal pages in order to calculate return on investment.
4. Walk in their shoes. Experience a Web site as a visitor.
• Look for clusters of heavy clicks, links that ultimately drive high conversions
and items that connect with people. Do more people convert on a site if they
click on product comparison on the homepage, or do they go directly to a product
page?
• Follow the heavy clicks and see what people do next.
• Check out referrers to each page. It may explain bounce and exit rates.
5. Focus on outcomes. Measure and evangelize your data, and take action.
• Identify needed improvements to your pages.
• Consider merchandising, cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.
• Answer the question, why does a Web site exist? Then go through the four steps
mentioned above to identify the two or three key metrics that help measure those
outcomes.

With Google AdSense, choose which ads are relevant to your site's content, and you can earn money every time a visitor clicks on them.
1. First off, you must have launched a Web site with acceptable content and a valid
URL. If you don't have a Web site, you can use Google's free programs: Page
Creator or Blogger (page.google.com, blogger.com). Then, sign up for an AdSense
account and you are on your way.
2. Make sure your site is attractive by customizing the ads to your site. For
instance, sites with white backgrounds should use ads with a gray background, as
well as use colors in ads that already exist on the page.
3. Place ads on the best location on the page. One of the best locations is in line
with your content.
4. Create a lot of content and add fresh unique content regularly. Sites with the
most pages and content have more opportunities for ads and clicks. A site with 10
pages won't make nearly as much money as a site with 50 or 500 pages of relevant
content.
5. Promote your Web site by emailing friends for word-of-mouth, and submit your site
to all search engines so content will be indexed.

Create your own ads and choose powerful keywords for your site using Google AdWords.
1. Know your audience. Precision is the key to search advertising with programs like
Google AdWords. You want to reach the right users at the right time. Take a good
look at the products and services you're selling and the customers who are buying.
2. Identify your goals. Once you have a clear sense of your business, stay focused on
how to reach your customers. You'll need to know your ultimate goal so you can
measure success. Structure each campaign based on a simple, overarching goal such
as a category, product line (coffee, tea, or machines), or theme (seasonal or
promotional).
3. Choose powerful keywords. Choosing keywords is both an art and a science. Start
brainstorming by expanding your list as broadly as possible, and then narrow your
focus. Try to think like your users do. Understand which keywords work best for
you and increase your bid on those words to maximize your return.
4. Write "gotta-click" ads. It's time to write the ads that users will see when they
search on your keywords—the ads that will make them feel they must click on your
ad to learn more. Typically, you'll have three short lines of text with which to
grab your potential customers' attention. To get your ad right, try these tips:
• Include your keywords in your title and description.
• Convey key product benefits.
• Get to the point quickly.
• Write copy that includes a strong call to action, such as "buy now" or "sign up
today."
• Direct users to the landing page that most relates to your ad.
5. Hit the right users with the right ads. Once you know your potential customer, you
can target individual campaigns to reach your audience. Write and target ads in a
variety of languages if you have a global business. You can also target a
particular geographic area, such as a region that your business serves.
6. Track down to the last customer. After your campaign goes live, measure its
results regularly. Keep a close watch on your account statistics, review your own
Web logs, and use conversion tracking software (available for free through some
advertising programs).
7. Test. Adapt. Thrive. Continually review what you've set up, keeping in mind that
there's always room for improvement, and that the online advertising environment
is dynamic. Don't be afraid to make changes and try new things.

by Jennifer L. DeLeo